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How To NOT Lose Friends Over Your Lifestyle Choices

By Callie McBride

“Look who’s off to the gym again.”

“I’d eat as many greens as you, too, if I were a giraffe…”

“At the end of the day, I’d much rather have the cupcake than not.”

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These and plenty of other comments can be routinely heard from family, friends, co-workers, and people who lead a different lifestyle than you do, and seem eager to judge. In the nearly 3 years that I have been vegan, and in the 5+ years that I have expressed my passion for health and fitness, I have laughed off ‘vegan’ jokes, stomached outwardly opinionated friends, and even held my tongue around certain people who are quite vocal about their disapproval or disinterest in a holistic way of living. Certainly not everyone is as gung-ho about hot yoga and green smoothies as you are, but it can become frustrating when your life choices become criticized on a regular basis and you feel the need to refrain from practicing those choices in order to fit in. Just last week I spent a number of days with a loud, fun-loving family whose only agenda was to lounge, eat, and drink. (I know, I know, where can you sign up!?) Like many families, this one especially loves to come together over a meal, so inviting a girl with a plant-based diet into the home was a challenge for them. Each time they had questions or comments about my lifestyle, I graciously answered and listened to what they had to say. After a while, though, the vegan jokes were popping up 4 or 5 times in an afternoon. “The ribs are on the grill, we know you can’t wait!” “We made this cheesecake special for you-oh waaaaait.” My personal favorite: “So, you’re vegan…like, where do you find joy in life?”

If you’ve ever done grade school theatre or participated in a kindergarten beauty pageant, you know how exhausting it is to hold a fake smile. Unfortunately, that’s what I felt like I was doing. While I recognize that the digs and comments are all in good fun, I quickly felt that I stood out like a sore thumb every time the dinner bell rang. It got me thinking that no matter what life choices a person makes, if they stand out from what’s considered the ‘norm’, it can be tough to live out those choices in a social setting.

If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

In an effort to remedy my feelings of frustration and inconvenience toward people who don’t understand why I eat the way that I do, I have compiled a list of ways to inform without lecturing, extend invitations without pressuring, and constructing rebuttals without starting World War III.

1. Share your snacks. A fool-proof way of convincing people that vegans (or simply healthy eaters) aren’t aliens and that healthy eating can be delicious, is to show them with food! Choose your favorite healthy treat or green appetizer to make and bring to a summer barbecue or birthday party so that you can eat your cake and have it, too. All those jokes will disappear once vegan chocolatey goodness is in the picture.

2. Keep it short and sweet. People who are unfamiliar with the plant-based diet and holistic lifestyle will ask questions. Be sure not to transform into your old high school biology teacher and go into a 30 minute spiel about the benefits of kale and the history of coconut oil. Instead, stick with a brief answer to the ever-popular question of why you live the way you do. I usually say with a smile, “It makes me feel great and brings me happiness. I just like to feel my best!”

3. Have a few tricks up your sleeve. If the joking continues, pull out some of your own. Making sure not to judge or offend, think of cheeky ways to throw a question back onto someone who may be grilling you about your particularly green dinner plate. “I’m actually trying to see if my body starts sprouting leaves, thanks for noticing!” “I’m in a competition with my pet rabbit to see who can consume more raw carrots within a day. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.” “When the rest of the world zigs, I zag. You should really try it.”

4. Extend open invitations. Especially when vacationing with friends or living with roommates, sneaking away to the gym can frustrate people who either aren’t on top of their fitness game or who want to spend time as a group. Instead of waking up at the crack of dawn to fit in your workout before everyone else’s day starts, make a suggestion for the group to rent bikes or play beach volleyball. Your dedication to fitness shouldn’t be overruled by your peers, but asking them to join in is a win-win situation. A dance party is a wonderful disguise for a cardio without…

5. Go all out with a plant-based feast. If your siblings, boyfriend, or business partner are still on the fence about your obsession with raw veggie collard wraps, pull the final trigger an invite them over for 3-course vegan or plant-based meal to wow them. For brothers or boyfriends who frequent Buffalo Wild Wings and Taco Bell on a weekly basis, try Alicia Silverstone’s 7-layer dip; they won’t know what hit them. For your mother or sister and their sweet teeth, try any of Chocolate Covered Katie‘s cookie, cake, or pie recipes-most are sugar and fat free. For the culinary connoisseur, prove just how dimensional veganism can be by slaving over any of these gourmet raw recipes, and be sure to kill the presentation.

These tricks won’t have anyone running away from you, and may even open some doors to more willing eaters.

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A New Snack to Bug Out On

By Callie McBride

A New Snack to Bug Out On | The Organic Beauty Blog

It’s no secret that the world population is continually on the rise. Just look at any Starbucks on a Monday morning, the 4 train on a weekday at 5:30pm, or even your local DMV. In all seriousness, the world is constantly expanding, which calls into question how accommodating our planet is to such growing numbers. As plants, animals, and the nearly 7.1 billion people on this earth currently share worldly resources, the prospect of more of each becomes daunting. How will we feed and nurture all living things on planet Earth 10 or 20 years from now, when we struggle to do so today?

There just may be a solution, but its a little buggy. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, could be the answer to our food supply worries. In fact, they estimate that currently 2 billion people in the world already munch on insects as part of their daily diet: fried locusts in Thailand and beetle larvae in Australia, for example. Okay, if that grossed you out, don’t worry. Think of it as less of a scene from “Survivor” and more of an off-beat but healthy snack, like Seaweed Snacks.

In the newest information pamphlet, “Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security”, constructed just this year, the FAO of the United Nations is crediting edible insects for their nutritional value, environmental impact, economic improvement, and betterment of livelihood throughout the world. The FAO states that locusts contain loads of iron, even more so than beef. Eating insects could also positively affect our environment, as insects require only 2 pounds of food to  make 1 pound of bug meat, a huge difference from the 8 pounds of food that cattle need to make 1 pound of meat. This means more food for everyone!

If you still aren’t convinced, think of our funky food history. As humans, we went from eating real and wholesome foods like fruits and vegetables from the earth, to highly processed and refined white foods such as bread, cheese, and sugar. A healthy take on food is certainly back on trend, with an emphasis on all natural and organic foods grown straight from the ground. Those carrots you love to munch on were picked out of soil, and so would a grasshopper, should such an item fall into your palate!

The trend, which may seem strange, isn’t all that new. San Francisco restaurant La Oaxaquena serves up toasted grasshoppers, known as “champulines“, and the Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans offers insect cooking demos and tastings-mealworm salsa, anyone?

This new global topic may open the doors to controversy, as people with food allergies or preferences may not stomach the idea. For instance, how would a vegan approach the prospect of eating insects? Does she set them apart from animals, or group them all together? Moreover, would a health-conscious person only be struck with eating insects that have been deep-fried and salted? There are many questions that arise with such a lofty proposition, but we can certainly expect answers as the need for food security continues and a solution is sought after.

For more information, visit FAO.org and search “edible insects”.

 

Quick Vegan Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

This creamy tomato soup is going to become a fast favorite for the whole family.  The quinoa and coconut milk lend the soup and delicious rich creaminess that’s so good, you won’t even miss the dairy!  Plus, the cooked tomatoes are loaded with tons of lycopene, which is an amazing antioxidant.

Quick Vegan Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Serves 4
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 (28 oz.) can organic diced tomatoes with juice

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped, plus a bit more for garnish

1 tsp raw organic apple cider vinegar (or more, if you’d like a little more acidity)

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth, or 1 cup water with 1-2 tbsp Seitenbacher vegetable broth powder

1/2 cup organic coconut milk (you can also use almond milk)

1 tbsp cooked quinoa or millet (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Add tomatoes and juice and apple cider vinegar, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add broth, quinoa, and basil.  Bring to a boil again.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Add coconut milk, stir, and remove from heat.  Blend with immersion blender or in standing blender, in batches if necessary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with a bit of basil, and serve with a slice of whole grain bread.

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Quick White Bean and Kale Soup

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

This quick and delicious soup makes for a hearty and healthy dinner.  A rainbow of colors tells you you’re getting tons of yummy vitamins, and the beans mean everyone will feel full and satisfied from a vegetable protein that won’t weigh you down!

Quick White Bean and Kale Soup

Serves 4

Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 (32 oz) carton of low-sodium organic vegetable broth, or 4 cups of water seasoned with Seitenbacher broth powder

4 cups packed chopped kale

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

1 (14.5 oz) can of organic, unsalted cannelini beans

1 (14.5 oz) can of organic diced tomatoes

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in a soup pot.  Add onion and cook 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another two minutes.  Add carrots and cook another minute.  Add broth, tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil.  Cook about 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add beans and kale and cook until kale is tender, about another 5-7 minutes. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste.  Serve with rye or multigrain toast.

The Skinny on Superfoods

By Callie McBride

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Gone are the days of avocado madness; chia seeds have had their time. Though we aren’t saying goodbye to these wonderful nutrient powerhouses, there’s some new kids in town: superfood powders. The latest craze to hit health food stores and foodies’ cabinets, these natural powders, often sourced from the rain forests of tropical islands, offer insane amounts of nutrition and flavor in each scoop. With so many to choose from, your morning smoothie will get a fabulous makeover and your nutrient checklist will trump all others.

Flax Powder:

Sprouted flax seeds. That’s it. This powder will load you up with omega 3 fatty acids and fiber, and it’s incredibly easy to digest, so your body will feel its benefits quickly. Flax seeds hail from Canada, where they were cultivated for their awesome fiber content. Throw a scoop into a banana, almond milk, and spinach smoothie or mix into your morning oatmeal for optimal taste and benefits. You can also purchase flax in the form of ground seeds and oil.

Lucuma Powder:

Lucuma is actually a fruit, originating in Peru, which is milled into a fine powder and used as a type of low-glycemic sweetener. It contains iron, zinc, calcium, and protein, and has a maple flavor to it. It’s definitely smoothie-friendly, but mixing into a raw ice-cream or coconut yogurt sounds equally as heavenly.

Goji Berries:

Either in powder form or as dried berries, the amazing goji contains tons of antioxidants, as well as over 20 vitamins and minerals. These berries hail from the Ningxia Province in China where they are grown, harvested, and dehydrated to maintain maximum nutrient content. They’ve been consumed by Asians for decades, and the Western world is just catching up. Eat ’em by the handful or toss some in trail mix for  a chewy texture and sweet flavor.

Maca Powder:

This one’s my favorite: its known to increase stamina, boost libido, and combat fatigue. I’ll take 20. The maca root, found in Peruvian Andes, is gently dried and milled to a fine powder, and contains amino acids, fiber, and phytonutrients. Listen to this: the maca root is one of the only plant foods able to survive a such a high altitude as the Andes mountains. How cool? It energizes naturally and, according to the ancient Incans, helps relieve stress. This powder is packed with body and mind benefits.

Acai Powder:

The Acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry grows in the Amazon Rain Forest and is known for its high antioxidant content, as well as its vitamins, minerals, and dark fruity flavor. You can also find frozen, slushie-like acai packets in health food stores to whip up in smoothies…I’ve been known to snack on dark chocolate-covered acai berries, as well. Yum.

Maqui Powder:

These berries are sourced in the mountains of southern Chile, and similar to Lucuma, offer a sweet taste that’s perfect for dessert. They boast of anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects, and contain loads of calcium, vitamin C, iron, and potassium. Get this: Mapuche Indians, the longest living culture in the world, credits the maqui berry as a staple food, as well as an addition to their rituals and ceremonies. They believe that the superfood symbolizes goodwill (not to mention a good body!).

These are just a handful of the fabulous superfoods currently on the market; coconut palm sugar, camu powder, mesquite powder, and dried mulberries are some more to check out for their heavy nutrient doses. If anything, these unique names will impress your next house guest and get a conversation started, either on geography or your health food obsession.

All information comes from the Navita Naturals website, where you can learn more about and purchase all of the above mentioned superfoods. Many other brands produce and sell the powders, as well. Our Organic Beauty store has a handful in stock, too! Go get your superfood on.

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No-Cost Holistic Living

By: Callie McBride

If a fear of costliness is preventing you from delving into the wonders of a holistic lifestyle, you are not alone. But, you may also be confused. Its no secret that organic meals and bi-weekly yoga classes can burn through your pocket quite quickly, but there are ways around those bright green dollar signs that offer you the same incredible benefits of living naturally and healthfully. The trick is to simply open your eyes! Scour the web, check out coffeehouse postings, and chat with your fellow yogis to learn about free deals; you will be amazed with what you will find.

Yoga, etc.

Often times yoga and pilates studios, as well as fitness centers, will offer complimentary classes to new customers. Core Power Yoga , Lulu Lemon retail stores, and YoGoer all offer free trials, just to name a few. Let Google be your friend and check out what studios in your areas do the same. Take advantage of those introductory classes to both try out different locations around your city and possibly discover a new favorite spot. I recently browsed the Internet for a martial arts class in Manhattan, and in about ten minutes I was registered for a free one-on-one lesson for the following week, that easy!

There are also studios that generously run classes by donation; if $5 is all you’ve got, they will gladly take it. Both Yoga To The People and Brooklyn Yoga School in New York boast this deal.

During the summer, outdoor yoga skyrockets and prices dip lower than ever. In fact, they disappear. Well and Good NYC puts together an annual Summer Fitness Guide for New Yorkers filled with free yoga, pilates, and bootcamps around all 5 boroughs. Classes include Bryant Park Yoga, Sixth Street Pilates, Washington Square Park Yoga, and much more.

Let’s not forget the wonderful online world of Youtube, home to plenty of fantastic fitness instructors that post free videos to do at home-my favorites are Tara Stiles and Cassey Ho of Pop Pilates. These women are consistent with uploading new videos and have mastered the art of training through the camera.

Meditation

Another important aspect of a holistic lifestyle is meditation, which can always be free. This summer, grab a blanket and pick a park to visit during your free time. Of course, chanting is optional, but ultimate relaxation and peace of mind is garaunteed. My NYC picks are Central Park, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and Riverside Park on the Upper West Side. With no shortage of parks wherever you live, meditation can be a quick and effective way to check in with your body and maintain a focus on your goals of healthy living.  If you need some guidance on how to start meditating, keep your eye out for guided meditation challenges from Deepak Chopra and other wellness experts!  There are also tons of free guided meditation apps available for your phone or iPad.

Organic Produce

No-Cost Holistic Living 2 | The Organic Beauty Blog

Organic and healthy foods generally aren’t free–though if you know of a place, shout it out. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the bounty of organic food made available to us. For those of you who like to stock up on organic fruits and veggies, consider shopping wholesale. In New York, the Wholesale Greenmarket is your best bet. The vendors there grow their own produce, and “straight from the farm each morning, their products travel a very short distance ensuring premium quality, and greater food safety and traceability”. (grownyc.org/wholesale) By purchasing your fresh produce in bulk, or least in larger quantities, you’ll save both money and daily trips to the grocery store. The San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market is another example that looks great and includes a huge list of merchants who deliver fresh produce each morning (www.sfproduce.org).  A local CSA can also be a super affordable option to eat organic.  NextDoorganics is an amazing CSA delivery that sends a huge bag of local organic produce and other goodies to your door for as little as $35 a week!

To sum up, cheap healthy living is entirely possible with a little determination and research. Once you find your collection of free and/or cheap spots, spread the word and get others in on the wonders of holistic living on a budget. Enjoy your mission to locate deals and steals throughout your city, and share what you find in the comments below!

The Macro Bowl: Your New Go-To Lunch

By: Callie McBride

The food pyramid tells us which foods to load up on and which to enjoy sparingly; restaurants often contradict a nutritious dish with that classic side of fries. It seems that we are led to be confused by the food industry about nutritional balance, or lack thereof. How is one to really know that the steaming plate of roasted vegetables, doused with creamy cheese, isn’t actually the healthy option after all? And when a super, super-sized soft drink is offered for only 50 cents more, the trap becomes difficult to escape.

Enter the Macro Bowl, a dish that has recently made its way onto popular vegan restaurant menus and into raw food cookbooks. Imagine a large, colorful creation of nutritionally dense foods that combine to create a healthy powerhouse right before your eyes. Named after the high content of macronutrients that they contain, Macro Bowls typically feature steamed or raw greens, something fermented from the sea (seaweed, kimchee, wakame), brown rice or cooked quinoa, a root or steamed veggie, and a delicious dressing or side of avocado to top it off.  Right there you’ll see protein, calcium, omega 3s, healthy fats, fiber, many vitamins and minerals, and best of all, easy digestion. They come in different varieties, but they are all extremely dense with macronutrients, or all of the necessary and essential components to a healthy diet. Just think, you can get an entire day’s worth of essential nutrients, all in a tightly packed and flavorful bowl!

Carbs, proteins, fats, macrominerals, and water are the players, and the game is ensuring that your body gets all of its macronutrients as much as possible. (Hence why fried green beans with cheesy sauce probably don’t count.) The Macro Bowl is designed to load up the body with all of these nutrients at once-yes please. I have had my fair share of macro bowls or plates in New York City-specifically Brooklyn’s Sun In Bloom and Cafe Blossom in the West Village- and I can attest that this is one nutritious overload not to miss. The best part is that there is no strict recipe to follow with exact measurements or lengthy cooking. The variety and color is completely up to you and your palate. So check out the recipes below for inspiration, grab a bowl, and say hello to your new favorite dish.

Sun in Bloom’s Hearty Macro Bowl:

Daily Green, Daily Bean, Steamed Collard Greens, Steamed Kale, Wakame, Daily Veggie, House Made Raw Sauerkraut, and Tempeh. Served with Sesame Ginger Dressing (suggestion of adding avocado)

Café Blossom’s Macro Salad:

Spiced Quinoa, Steamed Tofu, Kimchee, Kimpura Carrot, Raw Kale with Avocado and Lemon

Follow this simple formula and personalize it to create an at-home Macro Bowl:

  • Greens (cooked or raw)
  • Healthy whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, etc)
  • Plant protein (beans or organic tofu or tempeh)
  • Seaweed or kimchee
  • Seasonal raw veggies
  • Cooked root veggie (sweet potato or squash)
  • Avocado 
  • Yummy dressing (lemon+olive oil, Green Goddess, tahini, whatever floats your boat!)

Happy experimenting!

13 Essential Brain Foods For Improved Memory, Mood And Clarity

By: Stephanie Heino

13 Essential Brain Foods For Improved Memory, Mood And Clarity | The Organic Beauty BlogYour brain is a complex and hungry organ, and its cells require two times the amount of energy than that of other cells in the body. Therefore it is very important to feed the grey matter with highly effective brain foods that improve memory, mood, concentration, and overall clarity and keep your mind sharp and nourished. As you might know, your brain is mostly composed of fat, and therefore needs fatty acids to process information and for brain cells to communicate. Omega-3 fatty acids – particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – play a very important role in allowing brain cells to transmit signals properly. Lack of DHA can cause brain signals to become distorted and difficult to read, which will make it harder for you to control your mood, concentrate, and remember things. DHA can also help you feel happier by helping your body to release serotonin (the amazing chemical the body uses to boost mood and relieve depression!).

Eating foods rich in antioxidants is also very important since it helps your system rid itself of free radicals. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and halt the damaging effects they have on the body. Berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, goji berries, and many others are a great source of antioxidants, as are a variety of nuts and seeds.

While only making up two percent of total body weight, the brain consumes 20 percent of the oxygen your body gets. Your brain needs oxygen, and your blood is what delivers it. This means that by having healthy blood flow, the oxygen and nutrients can keep your brain going at full power. Foods like goji berries are great since they naturally promote circulation.

Recent studies suggest that inflammation, high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, obesity, arterial inelasticity and a condition known as metabolic syndrome are all risk factors that can lead to a decline in brain health, so it is very important to eat the right foods for your brain!

Take a look at these 13 super foods for excellent brain health:

13 Essential Brain Foods For Improved Memory, Mood And Clarity 2 | The Organic Beauty BlogFish (Salmon, anchovies, mackerel, tuna). Awash with nutrients, coldwater fish like salmon are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which play an important role in strengthening synapses in your brain, strengthening brain function and memory. One concern that many have about consuming fish are the levels of mercury that accumulate through the food chain and residing in salmon. To avoid contaminates, experts recommend eating wild salmon. Wild salmon is also an excellent source of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), two potent omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation. Sardines, anchovies, and mackerel are also packed with brain-healthy omega-3s, but have lower levels of mercury that may be found in other fish.

Turmeric. This Asian spice is commonly found in mixed curry powder and contains a powerful, non-toxic compound called curcumin which has serious anti-inflammatory effects.

Mushrooms. For thousands of years, the Chinese have revered mushrooms, specifically shiitake, cordyceps, and reishi, for their immune-boosting properties. Mushrooms increase blood flow and supports lower cholesterol levels, and are considered a superfood for many reasons.

Avocado. Many consider avocados to be the food of the gods. This nutrient-packed fruit (yes, it’s technically a fruit) is high in monounsaturated fat, which helps to lower cholesterol and improve blood flow. Since the brain uses 20% of all the oxygen the body consumes, it’s vital to have healthy blood flow to carry oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Avocados are also a good source for omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, which functions as an antioxidant and promotes healthy brain activity.

Go Nuts!. Three specific nuts have been linked to a decreased risk of many diseases. Now there’s evidence that they also improve cognition. Most have high concentrations of vitamin E, B vitamins, antioxidants, magnesium, minerals and Omega-3s, which all support the nervous system.

  • Walnuts. The walnut’s shape resembles a brain, so why shouldn’t it be a brain food? It is! Rich in both omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, walnuts offer a variety of benefits for brain health. Since omega-3 fatty acids are typically found in meats, walnuts provide a great non-meat alternative. They can help you concentrate and protect your brain against the effects of aging. Walnuts have also been shown to improve mood by influencing the brain’s serotonin levels. For those who suffer from depression, insomnia, anxiety, or related issues, walnuts may be a helpful food to munch on.13 Essential Brain Foods For Improved Memory, Mood And Clarity 3 | The Organic Beauty Blog
  • Almonds. Almonds may help to save your memory! In studies on laboratory mice, the rodents rendered temporarily amnesiac were more apt to remember their way around a maze 24 hours later if they first consumed an almond paste. The evidence suggests that almonds slow the decline in cognitive abilities linked to Alzheimer’s disease. The memory effects can be linked to the presence of the essential amino acid phenylalanine and L-carnitine, which are believed to boost neurotransmitters essential to memory.
  • Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts can spare the obese the vascular damage associated with body fat. An excess of fat tissue stimulates low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can lead to cardiovascular disease. With high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and bioactive substances that combat inflammation like selenium, phenolic compounds, folate, magnesium among them, Brazil nuts improved microcirculation, lowered cholesterol levels, and normalized blood lipid profiles without causing weight gain in 17 obese females (wow!).

Green Tea. China’s (and now our!) favorite drink has been shown to provide many benefits for memory, and may positively impact cellular mechanisms in the brain. There is an organic chemical found in green tea, EGCG (epigallocatechin-3 gallate) that is a key health property of green tea and is a known antioxidant. EGCG is found to boost the production of neural progenitor cells, which like stems cells, can adapt or differentiate into various type of cells. EGCG is also said to enhance learning and memory by improving object and spatial memory.

Seeds: Flax, chia, hemp, sesame. These small seeds all provide big benefits for both the body and the brain.

  1. Flaxseeds. Flaxseeds are an even more potent source of omega-3 fatty acids than walnuts, and also a source of B vitamins, which is great food for your brain cells since they need this for improved cognitive function and memory. Flaxseeds are also a source of manganese, which acts as a powerful antioxidant. It’s best to grind flaxseeds before eating them, since the body has difficulty absorbing the seeds’ nutrients when left in their natural state.
  2. Chia seeds. Chia seeds are a super-food that the ancient Mayans heavily relied upon. These seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and contain more antioxidants than blueberries. Add chia seeds to your diet (in your smoothies or sprinkled on top of your salads) for improved concentration, memory, mood, and protection against diseases like Alzheimer’s.
  3. Sesame and hemp seeds. These seeds contain plant sterols that help strengthen the immune system and bring down an overreaction.

Quinoa. Quinoa is an amazingly good grain; I love having quinoa porridge in the morning! It makes up a complete protein, containing all nine of the essential amino acids. It is also an excellent source of iron, which is needed to produce energy for the brain’s neurons, as well as being rich in riboflavin (or vitamin B2), which is another important energy source. Since the brain consumes such a large amount of the body’s energy, it’s important to eat the right foods to supply it. Riboflavin also functions as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Vegetables: Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Collard Greens, Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower, and cabbage. These veggie powerhouses are highly regarded for being a great source of nutrients. Many are rich in vitamin K, which has been shown to prevent arterial calcification in the brain, which may be linked to Alzheimer’s. Vitamin K also plays a role in creating important fats that the brain needs to perform properly. Great sources for vitamin K are broccoli, kale, spinach, collard greens, and brussels sprouts. Broccoli also contains sulforaphane, which helps the body get rid of potentially carcinogenic compounds. In studies, broccoli, red cabbage and sulforaphane have been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Nice!

Sweet Potato. A good (and yummy!) complex carbohydrate, as well as a great source of beta-carotene, manganese, vitamin B6, C and a great dietary fiber. Combined, these are powerful antioxidants that support inflammation in the body.

13 Essential Brain Foods For Improved Memory, Mood And Clarity 5 | The Organic Beauty BlogBerries: Blackberries, Blueberries, Goji Berries, StrawBerries, Cranberries – All berries. Adding berries to your diet can help your brain better process information and stay mentally sharp. Loaded up with polyphenols and antioxidants, berries can help reduce inflammation in brain cells, making it easier for them to communicate with each other. Polyphenols found in blackberries also help reduce accumulation of toxins in the brain. Rumor has it that blueberries, strawberries and cranberries can improve metabolic syndrome through lessoning inflammation.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to slow brain aging. Virgin olive oil is the Mediterranean secret to longevity. Its rich supply of polyphenols protects the heart and blood vessels from inflammation. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are also turned into anti-inflammatory agents by the body that can lower occurrences of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Water. Last but not least, we can never forget this amazingly important nutrient. Water makes up 85% of brain weight– so by being dehydrated, brain volume decreases, whereas rehydration increases cerebral volume significantly. So make sure to get your 8 glasses a day, people!

Beat Cravings and Binge Eating by Dealing With Your Emotions!

 

By: Stephanie Heino

Beat Cravings and Binge Eating by Dealing With Your Emotions! | The Organic Beauty BlogI don’t know about you, but when I felt stressed, had a bad day, or felt sad and depressed I used to go dig in the fridge and binge until there was no more room in that poor tummy. Does this sound familiar? I later learned that this didn’t mean I was starving, instead it was my way of dealing with emotions I didn’t know to handle in any other way. Do you recognize this behavior? I know that this is something more or less all people go through at one point or another in life, but as long as you are able to recognize why you are engaging in a certain behavior, that is also when you can change and let go of the addiction and shed those extra pounds.

My body is amazing at letting me know I’m disconnected from my deeper self. Take last week for example, each day I found myself wanting sugar. And this was not just a moment spent thinking about how nice a piece of chocolate would taste but instead a persistent obsessive thought of all my biochemical signals telling me I needed something to fill me up. Something to fill up the emptiness I felt inside due to stress and family issues. I didn’t give in to the temptation, because I knew that the temporary satisfaction would leave me feeling even worse than how I felt before, so I decided to go to the root of the issue instead of numbing my feelings by engaging in addictive behaviors such as smoking a cigarette, binging, etc.

I am sure you are all familiar with the feeling I am describing, it is not about the issue of starving yourself, nor is it about the hunger that comes from restricting too many calories, this is the type of hunger that starts right back up again once you’ve eaten that piece of chocolate and only transforms when you’ve finished the whole bar. And of course, it doesn’t transform into peace and satiation like you expect. It morphs into an agonizing mix of guilt and shame. Do you know why? Because the actual reason for binging wasn’t that your body needed the chocolate bar, it was just a way for you to deal with the emotions you were feeling at that certain time.

Here are some of the things to look into and explore when you can’t stop the hunger or are craving things that don’t support your highest good. By analyzing your actual feelings and mood instead of reaching for the nearest candy bar, you will eventually thank your self, and so will your waistline. But don’t expect this to take place overnight. You have to be determined to retrain your mind and step away from learned behaviors, either by yourself, or with the help of a professional. If you need support, schedule a free consultation with Holistic Health Counselor Natasha Uspensky to get back on track physically and emotionally. Take a look below and use the affirmations provided the next time you get that intense craving:

Thirst. Thirst and hunger originate from the same hypothalamic area in our brain, which makes it easy to get the two mixed up. This means signals can get confused and we can think we’re hungry when really we’re really just thirsty. When we have too little fluid in our bodies it lowers our blood pressure and our body thinks it needs food. Try drinking water and see if it alleviates your hunger before going nuts in the grocery store.

Affirmation: I am in tune with what my body really needs. I fill my body with thirst-quenching water.

Beat Cravings and Binge Eating by Dealing With Your Emotions! 2 | The Organic Beauty BlogNutrition. When your diet doesn’t have as much nutritious and healthy food as it needs, your body will go into nutritional starvation mode. Don’t confuse this with calorie starving mode. Totally different. Nutritional starvation mode is when your cells are deficient of minerals and vitamins and they cry out for more. However, in a culture where we have grown up being seduced by addictive and processed food it’s hard to understand what our bodies really needs. It is only when you begin infusing your body with life-giving food that you realize what you were hungering for all along.

Affirmation: I feed my body the fuel that energizes and nourishes me in every single cell of my being. My cells receive nutrients rather than toxins to make them feel full and complete.

Check out this chart on what vitamin you might be lacking when craving a certain food!

Stress. Stress is about forgetting everything else but staying alive. Your desires, intentions and good health routines get thrown out the window. You become preoccupied with the state of feeling unsafe and threatened and after your late night at work you opt for take-out, spiking your blood sugars; or you reach for that ice cream to calm your nerves. Stress keeps your sympathetic nervous system active (fight or flight, hello cortisol!) and won’t allow your parasympathetic system to do what it does best: rest and digest. When your digestion is impaired you won’t be assimilating or absorbing nutrients and your body will activate its hunger programs.

Affirmation: I am calm and balanced throughout life’s chaos. The more I rest, the more I digest my experiences for my greater good.

Pleasure and reward. Eating sugar as been shown to release opioids and dopamine in the brain, which rewards us with pleasurable feelings, one of the basic underpinnings of our human drive. When you’re craving sugar, you may really be craving pleasure and reward in your life but you confuse it with actual hunger. It all has to do with the balance within, does your pleasure come from within, or do you feel the need to seek it from external sources like food and other addictions? The same reward pathway is often triggered for all addiction issues. Often we try to mask our pain with external pleasures like I mentioned above. If you go within your sweet cravings you will find parts of yourself feeling bland and joyless which is feelings your are trying to numb. Try go for a walk, take a long hot shower or call a friend, and I promise the craving will fade!

Affirmation: Sweetness is an infinite spring bubbling within me. Who I am is sweet and joyful and abundant I choose to feel and acknowledge the pain within me, rather than mask it, in order to uncover my essential sweetness.

Qi. Qi is the energy of our life force. When it’s not flowing like it is supposed to, we feel tired, deflated and uninspired in life. Our food cravings may be the result of our own sabotage patterns that stop us doing the things that build and rejuvenate our energy within. Instead of consuming the refined sugar that gives us a short and empty kick of energy, what we really need is to refill the well of our inner qi so that it becomes overflowing. Taking a walk in the forest, laughing with friends, doing Tai Chi or charging your chakras (check back next week for a post on balancing your chakras through meditation!) will do more for your qi circulation, bioelectricity (the electric potential across cell membranes) or photonic energy (light) than any cookie ever will.

Affirmation: I rejuvenate my chi until it overflows from my internal well. I seek out the things that light me up and energize me and it feels good and natural to do so.

Your soul’s hunger. Your soul always desires to step out of pain and into bliss. Hunger on this level is really about the true hunger of not living a life from the totality of who you are. Your hunger will increase when the distance between how you currently live your life and how you really desire to live it seems too immense. Nothing will fill you up apart from acknowledging and activating your unique brilliance.

Affirmation: I live from the wholeness and the completeness of my being. I am full and inspired across all dimensions of who I am.

Next time you feel the craving of a hunger that can’t be satiated, explore the origins of that hunger before reaching for the peanut butter and chocolate. Your hunger is a complicated beast; present across many aspects of your self. Let your self make peace with the sensations as it guides you lovingly into the wonderful person you are. For me, I soon worked out that my hunger was about too much stress and bad relationships in life. What is your hunger about? Go within to find out!

Here are some reason as to why you might be craving a certain food:

Sweets. When you get that intense craving for chocolate, you should stop and evaluate how your sleep has been lately. When tired, many people crave carbohydrates for a quick energy boost since carbs are our main source of fuel. Since simple carbs, such as sugar and white bread, are digested quicker than complex ones such as whole grains and beans, the energy kicks in sooner which makes it “ideal” for an energy booster. Unfortunately that sugar “high” doesn’t last long, and it eventually leads to an inevitable crash making you even more tired. As an alternative, go take a walk. In a University of Georgia study, people who worked out at a low-intensity for 20 minutes reported a 65 percent drop in feelings of fatigue.

Crunchy. A handful of nuts a day can be a healthy snack, but it can also hint to an inner frustration and irritation. The act of chewing and cracking the food in your mouth can momentarily release that angst, but the problem is the second that the crunching stops, the frustration returns — and many people go back to eating more and can end up polishing off an entire bag of chips. Watch out for this! A better way to release that tension is to punch a punching bag or do any kind of exercise, which will release endorphins to boost your mood. Several studies have also shown that relaxing music really does relieve stress.

Creamy. Creamy dishes such as ice cream, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese are called “comfort foods” because they point to worrisome thoughts, when what you really need is to be soothed. These are also high-carb, high-fat foods. Carbs boost the ‘feel-good’ hormone serotonin, and when you eat something high in both carbs and fat, it can trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. No wonder it is so addicting! While a bowl of ice cream may make you feel better in the moment, usually the worries return when the person realizes how many calories they consumed, and then guilt sets in. So instead of reaching for these fattening foods, trying a warm bath, a foot massage, or just wrap yourself in soft, cozy clothing can provide instant calming.

Caffeine. Anytime the coffee shop or a soda machine calls your name, you’re likely more than just thirsty. You may be tired, or feel discouraged or dissatisfied with your job and reach for these ‘quick fixes’ to perk you up and get you through the day. Does this sound familiar to you? It could also mean you’re dehydrated. Not drinking enough water leads to a lack of energy, so instead of a latte, you may just need some H2O. Try it before reaching for anything else!

Carbs. While cravings for pasta, bread and other carbohydrates can come from a number of physiological reasons, including a high insulin level or low blood sugar, it can also be a result of self-deprivation. When someone is on a strict eating plan or has declared certain foods 0ff-limits, they will want them that much more because they know they are not “allowed”.  Make whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and oats a regular part of your diet to majorly curb the carb cravings!

It is not impossible to change your addictive behavior, you just need to retrain your mind and learn how to deal with your emotions in a way that does not involve food!

Anti-Aging Magic from Avitalin

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

Marina Volod, creator of Avitalin Skincare, has devoted her life to the study of skin physiology, cosmetic ingredients and skin nutrition, and that immense knowledge base has yielded the creation of an immensely effective, powerful, and best of all, healthy line of vegan skincare products. For the past month, I have been using her products, and I have to say, my skin absolutely loves it!

I follow my oil face wash with Avitalin Firming Fluid ($55), which is formulated with anti-aging skincare powerhouses like hyaluronic acid, peptides, and phospholipids. It also has one of my favorite natural ingredients, seabuckthorn oil, which is a wonderful anti-inflammatory antioxidant. The vegan fluid goes on super smooth, and I actually found that I don’t even need a moisturizer after using it!

When my skin is feeling a little overstressed and red, I love to use Rebalance Calming Complex ($58), which is specially formulated to calm sensitive skin, especially if you’re prone to eczema, rosacea, or dermatitis. It is loaded with nourishing, anti-inflammatory ingredients like rooibos and green tea extracts, licorice and oat extracts, and calendula. It also helps to keep skin cells young and vital with potent vegan embryonic phyto complex and beta glucans. It leaves skin silky smooth and even, and provides non-greasy moisture all day long!

To keep eyes youthful, I love the Smooth Contour eye cream ($55). It is marvelous for getting rid of any puffiness and dark circles, and feels absolutely luxurious around the eyes. It’s made with ultra nourishing shea and cocoa butter, brightening alpha-arbutin, and the patented Syn®-Ake, which is a potent complex that relaxes facial tension, preventing the formation of new lines, and improving firmness and tonicity.

Once a week, I love to exfoliate and rejuvenate my skin with the Active Enzyme Peel ($40), which uses gentle fruit acids and skin lightning ingredients to increase cell turnover, improve skin’s texture and brighten the complexion. Pineapple and papaya enzymes make this peel feel and smell like a treat straight out of the spa, while arbutin and baltic amber extract deliver potent skin transformation.

Marina really embodies our ethos here at The Organic Beauty, that nature provides us with the most effective and potent ingredients to heal and beautify our bodies, inside and out!

I love the Avitalin line so much, I just have to share it with you, my beautiful readers! From now until next Friday, March 15th, we’re holding a giveaway of over $160 worth of Avitalin products! Click here to learn how to enter!